Wales On Sunday

MAXWELL ‘WILL NEVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT PRINCE’

- LUKE POWELL Reporter luke.powell@walesonlin­e.co.uk

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HISLAINE Maxwell would “never” disclose informatio­n about the Duke of York in the case surroundin­g paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, her friend has claimed.

Former investment banker Laura Goldman said the British socialite regarded Andrew as a friend and was “never going to say anything” about him to investigat­ors.

It comes as Maxwell appeared in court in the US on Thursday accused of helping disgraced financier Epstein “identify, befriend and groom” multiple girls, including one as young as 14.

The duke, who is a former friend of Epstein, has since been urged to provide informatio­n to the investigat­ion by a US attorney.

Ms Goldman, who claims to have known Maxwell since she moved to the US, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday she would “have to” go for a plea deal with prosecutor­s.

Asked if Maxwell would speak about the duke as part of the investigat­ion, Ms Goldman said:

“She has always told me she would never, ever say anything about him.

“I think she felt he was her friend and she was never going to say anything about him.

“She felt in the ’90s when her father died that Prince Andrew was there for her.”

Ms Goldman said she last spoke to Maxwell “a couple of weeks ago” prior to her arrest in

New Hampshire on Thursday, adding: “She knew she was coming to the end of the road.”

She claimed Maxwell was a “victim” of Epstein and was always “a little afraid” of him.

Ms Goldman said: “I think she thought if she did one more grooming, found him one more girl, he would marry her. Is that OK? No. She honestly thought at the end of the day she would be Mrs Jeffrey Epstein and that was the prize she wanted.”

Maxwell, daughter of late media mogul Robert Maxwell, has previously denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of sexual misconduct by her former boyfriend

Epstein.

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Jeffrey Epstein
Ghislaine Maxwell in 1991
Prince Andrew, Duke of York Jeffrey Epstein Ghislaine Maxwell in 1991
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